“No plans” for Google Chrome on Android to run extensions or apps

Sunday morning Google confirmed on its official Google Chrome page on Google+ that there are “no plans to support extensions or apps at this time” on Chrome for Android. This came in response to a recent Q&A, in which Chrome fans can ask Google anything they want, and Google picks one question to answer each week.

Google went on to say, “However, you can enjoy responsive, mobile web apps on Chrome for Android thanks to the support of many HTML5 features, which you can read more about here: http://goo.gl/41Wc1.”

Interestingly enough, this is a direct contradiction to a previous Q&A Chrome Developers video, in which Pete Lepage specifically confirms that Google is working on implementing a system in which Chrome apps could run across multiple OSes, including Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, Android, and iOS. (Scroll ahead to 37:10 in this video dated November 19.)

It is unclear whether or not this statement on Google+ cancels the previous statement from that video (Google is well-known for abandoning projects, after all). It’s also possible that Lepage was referring to certain kinds of web apps based on HTML5, which are in fact distinct from extensions or certain packaged apps.

About the Author

John Freml is the editor-in-chief at Pocketables. His articles generally focus on all things Google, including Chrome and Android, although his love of new gadgets and technology doesn't stop there. His current arsenal includes the Nexus 6 by Motorola, the 2013 Nexus 7 by ASUS, the Nexus 9 by HTC, the LG G Watch, and the Chromebook Pixel, among others.

I can understand why Google would not have the Web App support in Chrome for Android. Most of the functionality is already available through Android apps and if you really needed this why not get an Chromebook instead?

Aaron Orquia

This is too bad, I’d like to see the different Chrome versions become more unified as Google has discussed before.